Crocodile Bay Employee of the Month – Floribeth Valverde Quiros – Bar and Restaurant Supervisor
Crocodile Bay Employee of the Month – Floribeth Valverde Quiros – Bar and Restaurant Supervisor
Floribeth Valverde Quiros (Nicknamed “Flory”) is one of our most recognized employees as she’s been working in the restaurant and bar of Crocodile Bay for 18 years.
Flory has lived almost her whole life on the Osa Peninsula, as her entire family relocated here when she was only 3 years old. In 2001, just after graduating high school, she started working at Crocodile Bay.
After working for 8 years in the restaurant and bar she was offered the management position. She took to the task and has since created an extensive wine list and custom cocktail selection. One of her favorite cocktails is the “Tico Sour” a mix of Cacique, Lemon and Sugar. She says: “It is a bit sour, but the mix of sour and sweet is really great.”
What Flory loves most about her job at Crocodile Bay is that “It doesn’t feel like it is a hotel, it feels like you’re with family”.
While working at Crocodile Bay, Flory continued her higher education and worked herself through university and successfully completed her Masters degree in Touristic Business Administration and a separate degree in Education 2016. A year after her university graduation she was offered a position as a professor at the local Puerto Jimenez high school, where she graduated from 16 years prior. Now she’s teaching around 28 hours per week of tourism classes to senior high school kids in addition to managing the wait staff of the food and beverage department at Crocodile Bay.
Flory says: “It feels incredible to pass on the knowledge that I have gained over the past 18 years in the tourism industry at Crocodile Bay Resort, to the next generation of kids and tourism students on the Osa Peninsula”.
Being chosen as a ‘Top Family Fishing Destination’ by Sport Fishing Magazine is a real honor for Crocodile Bay. We are proud of the fact that families trust us to not only offer a safe and fun fishing experience but also to educate their children on conservation, wildlife and an overall understanding of the rainforest.
As long as the blue water stays in close, the offshore billfish action should continue to bear fruit. May and June are historically good months to catch yellowfin tuna. Though the big tuna and spinner dolphins have not been as prevalent compared to other years, that may be changing. I heard several reports last week that found the tuna may be moving back into our area.
Anthony doesn’t just love fly-fishing and catching roosterfish, he generally loves fishing all around the Osa Peninsula. He says that every day you can have new exciting fishing experiences in the Golfo Dulce, as well as going after the big billfish offshore from the Osa Peninsula. One of his most memorable experiences was fishing with one of our returning guests, Andy. They raised 7 marlins (including two blue and one black marlin) and hooked around 20 plus dorado with plenty of tuna in one single day. There were other boats around them who weren’t catching much at all, but Anthony and Andy were on a roll. 
At this time of year, many of the inquiries about vacationing at Crocodile Bay Resort are about our ‘Green Season’. We call it ‘Green’ because it is the time of year when everything comes alive on the Osa Peninsula, and the afternoon showers revive both the flora and the fauna. And where the shades of green are so numerous they are impossible to count. 
The Pacific Ocean and the Golfo Dulce hide natural wonders just below the surface. As one of only four tropical fjords in the world, the Golfo Dulce’s marine bed is rich with volcanic reefs, crevices and caves that have become the breeding grounds for a staggering variety of marine life. It is believed that the gulf is the only place in the world where the humpback whales from both the northern and southern hemispheres gather to breed. And its calm waters have created the preferred home for super pods of dolphins with numbers up to 10,000.On land, the Osa Peninsula is attracting birders, photographers, wildlife lovers, orchid lovers and cross country bikers, just to name a few. Scientists from all over the world are discovering the diversity of this area. The tropical lowland rainforest is the most species-rich land-based ecosystem on Earth and Crocodile Bay has tailored all its tours to meet the desires of its guests.
And your catch of the day, whether transformed into tasty ceviche, fresh sushi or grilled to perfection, will be masterfully prepared and complemented by locally sourced produce. Each meal is intended to nurture your well being to prepare you for what lies ahead. Savor, relax, and let the memories of the day wash over you.If you appreciate unique dining, we have a new Pura Vida Vino Club. This is your opportunity to experience a private dinner prepared by Executive Chef Maikol Chavez and his culinary team. Just imagine a four-course dinner paired with carefully selected wines to match the cuisine. Bon Appetit! And after the success of our outdoor barbeques, we are now adding poolside dining twice a month in order that you can enjoy your dinner under the stars.
We designed the Spa at Crocodile Bay to engender in our guests their peace and contentment. A variety of customized body and facial treatments will leave you feeling relaxed and rejuvenated. Our highly skilled professional therapists use many products native to Costa Rica to ensure the ultimate massage experience.Pick among one of our many special treatments from Swedish massage to Re-hydration Facial to a Coconut Polish. There are full body treatments, deluxe spa packages, and even couple massages. After a day full of Osa adventures, these are just a few of the many rewards here at Crocodile Bay. 
Costa Rican’s (affectionately knows as “Ticos”) use this term to say hello, or to say goodbye, or everything’s great, or everything’s cool. However, it is not the words that reflect the true meaning of Pura Vida, is the way Ticos live. Not surprisingly, Costa Rica has been named one of the happiest countries in the world, mostly because its inhabitants don’t stress about things the way most foreigners do. Ticos have a very relaxed, simple way of looking at life. No worries, no fuss, no stress—Pura Vida to them means being thankful for what they have and not dwelling on the negative.Although many people love to use the phrase, not many know where the term actually originated. The most common explanation comes from a Mexican movie called ‘Pura Vida’ that came to Costa Rica in 1956 (directed by Gilberto Martínez Solares). In the movie, ‘Pura Vida’ is the saying used by the main character who remains optimistic, despite unfortunate circumstances that continue to surround him. Although it took a little while to catch on, the phrase Pura Vida was being used nationwide by 1970. Today, it is an inherent part of the culture.Pura Vida is an emotion, it’s an attitude, it’s happiness, and it’s a way of life. Once you’ve visited, you will understand the true meaning of Pura Vida.
Crocodile Bay attracts a variety of wildlife, especially bird species who love to visit our diverse gardens. Best of all, thanks to the addition of high-speed Wifi internet in all rooms, you can upload your photographs to send to your friends back home with the subject line: “Wish you were here!”
Olimpia Ofelia Rhoden Branker (her nickname is “Oli”) is an icon here at Crocodile Bay Resort. Olimpia learned to be a professional licensed dietitian (nutritionist), but here at Crocodile Bay Resort, she is the main hostess and head of client services. She’s been with the resort for 11 years now (since 2008) and has worked for over 25 years in sportfishing resorts and hotels. She’s originally from Panama and now lives and works here at Crocodile Bay together with her Costa Rican husband of 25 years Enrique, who is also one of our chefs, and her son Anthony who is a fishing captain.
Crocodile Bay boasts the largest private sport fishing fleet in Central America with in-house captains and mates able to cater to all skill levels. Our fishing crews are dedicated to providing the service, education and local knowledge to ensure you enjoy the fishing adventure of a lifetime.Offshore, inshore, and now all-new kayak and shore fishing excursions are available, each uniquely challenging and equally rewarding. The upwelling caused by the offshore winds to the north and south moves baitfish into the area and leaves a flat ocean with one of the highest concentrations of sailfish in the world.Our fleet of 25ft Boston Whaler Outrage’s and 33ft Strike Yacht tower boats are easily accessed from our own 800-foot private pier located just steps from the resort.. Crocodile Bay offers world-class catch and release bill fishing in the Pacific Ocean for gigantic sailfish and a variety marlin including striped, blue and black. Other favorite offshore species include dorado, tuna and wahoo..Fishing inshore within Costa Rica’s Golfo Dulce (Sweet Gulf) for enormous roosterfish, along with cubera snapper, jack crevalle, bluefin trevally, sierra mackerel, and grouper provides a diverse fishing experience and is excellent throughout the year. 
Within its borders are diverse ecosystems, including mountainous rainforest, cloud forest, prairie and mangrove wetlands.The volume and variety of wildlife you’ll find here is unbelievable. All four Costa Rican monkey species, two kinds of sloths, two types of anteaters, collared peccary, caiman, crocodiles, poison dart frogs and hundreds of colorful bird species are commonly seen. It’s also home to rare species such as the Baird’s Tapir, jaguars and Harpy Eagles.Corcovado National Park is one of the top National Parks in the world. At Crocodile Bay we will take you on a one-day hike into this natural wonderland. Let us take you to discover this paradise, which very few people have the privilege to experience. 
d his full-time staff will safely bring you as close to nature as you’re willing to get. Expeditions have been expertly crafted within four distinct habitats with all skill levels in mind. From white-knuckle thrills to awe-inspiring sightseeing, there’s so much to explore and so much to discover. Not sure where to start? With the extreme caliber of the Costa Rican coastline, you owe it to yourself to experience at least one adventure from each habitat.Tours include canopy zip lining, horseback riding, surfing, waterfall repelling, botanical garden & animal sanctuary tours, snorkeling, and whale watching just to mention a few of the guided excursions available! Recently we have also added private photography tours, small group photography workshops led by internationally acclaimed experts, a new sunset cruise on a 100ft party boat, and a local off-site beach party location for dancing and evening fun. Crocodile Bay has over 30 eco-tours and cultural tours to choose from and we can take you places that are beyond the reach of others.
Yesterday was one such day, with the Saxten group landing twelve tuna including three caught on the fly. The bait was so thick that at one point a bait ball tried to hide under one of our Boston Whalers. The captain was able to take his bait net and scoop bait from in between the outboards and fill his live well. He did this while tuna were slapping the side of the boat, eating the bait, and trying frantically to hide.
Great weather continues, with sunny days in the upper eighties and light offshore breezes. The tuna have been around for the last few weeks and there have been some epic feedings with spotted dolphins, tuna, manta rays and sailfish all converging on bait balls. The tuna have been anywhere from ten-pounds all the way up to 200+ lbs. Last week we had an angler, Mr Harris from the UK, that hooked up a big tuna on a Penn 50 International and fought the fish for over three hours in the late afternoon. As it started to get late they pushed the drag up to “sundown” and the tuna made a couple of hard runs that ended the fight by breaking the line. It was a tough way to end such a battle, but after three hours of tug of war with the big fish and no end in sight, I am not sure that Mr Harris was that unhappy to finally put the rod down.
